Q: Ira, you wrote how the Heat’s roster is full, but I recall you mentioning in the past how rosters expand in the offseason. Can you please explain? – David.
A: The short answer: NBA teams are allowed to carry up to 20 players under contract during the offseason, otherwise limited to 15 under standard contract and three under two-way contract during the regular season. But even that can be somewhat misleading when factoring in players on tryout contracts during summer league. As for noting that Heat roster being full at the moment, that was more of an acknowledgement of where the Heat currently stand with what would be their 15-player standard roster, if that limit was in place at the moment. And even that can be fluid, due to potential trades that could send out more players than the Heat bring back. All of that said, when considering the 15-player limit on standard contracts, the Heat currently, in that regard, count 15 players toward that total: Re-signed Davion Mitchell, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Andrew Wiggins, Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Haywood Highsmith, Kyle Anderson, Duncan Robinson, Kevin Love, Terry Rozier, Keshad Johnson, Pelle Larsson and Wednesday night’s first-round pick Kasparas Jakucionis. Robinson yet could be waived or even opt out, but for now he is one of those 15. As for the Heat’s limit of three two-way players, a limitation that is the same during the offseason and regular season, the Heat currently have undrafted former FAU center Vlad Goldin under such a deal, with the expectation of a qualifying offer to Dru Smith turning into the second such deal. But, again, there are avenues for change, most notably trades, or even waiving players, which would be the case with the partially guaranteed contract of Robinson that have a July 8 guarantee date.
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Q: What do you think of the Davion Mitchell deal? – Hal.
A: I would say fair on both ends. Davion Mitchell gets a 50% boost for 2025-26 on what would have been his one-year qualifying offer, without having to deal with the hassle of restricted free agency, and the Heat lock in a rotation player for the next two seasons at a price less than the full mid-level exception. Granted, it impacts potential Heat cap space a year from now, but by that stage who knows what 2026 free agency will look like, or, for that matter, what the Heat roster will look like?
Q: If the Heat have 15 under standard contract, what happens with Dru Smith? – James.
A: Again, the Heat stand at 15 at the moment, with a situation that still could be highly fluid. So Dru Smith, when likely retained in free agency, starts back on the two-way pay scale, with one of those three allotted slots. But as would have been the case last season if not for the Achilles tear, that doesn’t mean a spot can’t eventually be opened on the 15-player standard roster, if merited. By now it is clear, the Heat, in one form or another, will take care of Dru Smith.
